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Who were the great African kings?

Many African kings made important contributions to their own countries and to world history. Among them was Mansa Kankan Mussa (?–1337), the king of Mali (a country in west Africa). He was a successful businessman and scholar who used his influence to enhance the cultural and religious life of his kingdom. In 1324 he led 72,000 people on the Hadj, a pilgrimage for followers of the Islamic religion, from Timbuktu (Tombouctou; one of the cities in the Mali empire) to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. This spectacular event gained international recognition because the pilgrims traveled safely across the Sahara Desert and back, a total distance of 6,496 miles (10,452 kilometers). During Mansa Mussa's reign Mali became known as one of the world's largest and wealthiest empires.

African leader Sonni Ali (?–1492) expanded the western Sudanese kingdom of Songhai. Taking the throne...

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